Eighth Nin - Shinobi Rescue Squad!
Eighth Nin - Shinobi Rescue Squad! is the eighth episode of ''Hero Retold: Kamen Rider Shinobi''. ''This episode features the proper return of the '''Niji no Hebi' Clan, as well as the return of the Yaminin, after their brief appearance in the first episode and their subsequent appearances via flashback. This episode is also the first of two-parts, continuing to the next episode. Plot Picking up from the last episode, Kamen Rider Bakugo charges at and attacks Kamen Rider Shinobi, the latter avoiding and parrying his punches. Bakugo shouts to fight him seriously and he tries to attack him once again, only for the ground to start shaking as an explosion occurs at one part of the building. Iroha and Mina hurriedly enter the events hall and call everyone’s attention, giving Shinobi the opportunity to escape. Iroha then exclaims that Akane has disappeared before another explosion rocks the people inside the building. From the outside, a portion of the building crumbles with Dustards escaping from a large hole, one of which is carrying an unconscious Akane. "Two thousand years ago, the red waters of the Sanzu River overflowed from the hills of dread, causing a massive eruption that caused heavy rains for three days and three nights. As the waters are not of this world, the storm caused much destruction and death. With the need to stop the ravaging waters of the afterlife, the royal family of artisans conjured seven vessels to collect these waters and save humanity. However, with this virtue also come the vice of greed, as the power of the afterlife also conjures the spirit of the earth. The waters of Sanzu; the waters that bear the earth’s spirit. In the underworld, it carries the souls to paradise. In ours, it bolsters them, summoning within us the creatures that serve the crimson moon." - Scroll's text, as read by Rentaro Kagura Back at the events hall, the Konjo Group employees regroup and Ayame publicly reprimands Iroha for going behind Isamichi’s back. As it turns out, Iroha and her colleagues decided to push through with the stage performance in secret, using it as a last-minute surprise for him and the guests. Ayame reiterated that Isamichi didn’t want them to perform, telling her how her actions were not only unprofessional but were also selfish, even dragging other employees to her plan. When Rentaro arrives back to the halls, Iroha shifts focus and angrily asks her brother where he was all that time, only for an employee to fire back with the same question towards her, angrily berating Iroha because she could’ve helped protect people during the Nin-Ju attacks as well, but she wasn’t there when her fellow employees needed her the most. Iroha is taken aback by this and she runs off, with Mina and Tsunayoshi following her. Rentaro also tries to follow her sister but he notices Akane’s absence and asks where she is. In an unknown location, Akane wakes up to the Yaminin’s voice scolding his Dustards for bringing in a different person to him, specifying that he wanted Iroha brought to her, not another woman. A caged-up Akane shouts to the Yaminin to let her go since they got the wrong person after all. The Yaminin comically hits a Dustard’s head before approaching Akane, saying that they might as well make use of this situation instead. At the Konjo Group’s main building, Isamichi silently watches another VIP gathering happen from the front entrance, this time headed by his father. It is eventually revealed that the earlier presentation for the guests in the event hall was just a ruse; the “guests” from earlier were actually just dummy clones that were disguised as VIPs; the entire presentation was just a big scapegoat to lure the Ninji no Hebi in while the real presentation happened inside the Konjo Group's Building. Rekka and Hayase regroup outside of the company building’s lobby, the former frustrated for being the only one not let in with this top-secret mission. Hayase explains that there was an earlier tip that the Niji no Hebi Clan was going to attack the Konjo Group’s Summit, which is why they did the entire ruse. Rekka was the only one not informed because of her prior history with the Ninja Clan. Hayase positively notes that they now have a lead with the Niji no Hebi’s current location due to that same unknown source. Rentaro suddenly arrives at the Konjo Group building and asks them where Icchy is. Rentaro pulls Isamichi away from the audience and confronts him over what happened at the events hall, deducing that this entire thing was his plan all along. Isamichi grins saying that the only thing that didn't go as planned was the appearance of the Nin-Ju. Rentaro grabs him by the collar, saying that he pretty much used his employees as bait and endangered their lives, but Icchy simply reversed what Rentaro said prior – that it’s Rentaro’s job to protect people, while he was just there to protect Iroha. Rentaro balls his fist to punch Isamichi but he pulls out a tracker pen, saying that this will help point out where the Niji no Hebi group’s hideout is, showing that Ayame actually placed a tracker on all of the employee's uniforms prior, including the girls' idol suits. He hands the tracker to Rentaro, saying that he’s happy to help him rescue Akane as well, but Rentaro sucker punches Isamichi to the ground, before angrily leaving. At a distance, Johnny spies and overhears their entire exchange. The next day, Iroha personally apologizes to Isamichi in his office, saying that she was very sorry for going behind his back at the event, but she also reiterates that they need to do something to save Akane. Isamichi immediately shuts her down, saying that the police are already in motion, especially since they already got a tip on the Niji no Hebi’s location and that they no longer need to worry, only for Rekka herself to enter the office. She informs them that the tip was indeed accurate, however, the mission was handed to the MPD 1st Division, rather than to her team, making this more of a raid mission than a rescue, which may also put Akane’s life at risk. She also asks Isamichi for help as she plans to go off the book, storming the area way before the operation happens, just to ensure Akane’s safety. Isamichi falls silent, second-guessing his next action but this frustrates both women. Rekka takes this as him not helping and leaves the office and the building, only for Iroha to follow her and demand to take her as well. Rekka tells her that she'll just be a liability and tries to walk off, but Iroha grabs her aside and tells her that she needs to do this; that she'll do anything to save her friend, even if she needs to put her trust back to ninjutsu once again. Rekka applauds Iroha for this and takes her along to her solo mission. That afternoon, Hayase hands Rekka the map of the group’s hideout, while also revealing that he purposefully didn’t let Rekka transform that night so that Chief Takajo wouldn’t confiscate her Hyoutan for “Tuning.” She thanks Hayase, as she and Iroha go off to save Akane. At the same time, Johnny enters Isamichi’s office and tells him about Iroha going to the Niji no Hebi’s hideout on her own, surprising the Vice-CEO. Johnny then tells him that he’s happy to help as well, just tell him where the hideout is located. Rekka and Iroha quickly travel towards the new Niji no Hebi base near Mount Osore, but before they reach the hideout, Iroha falls into a pit trap, only for Rentaro to save her. Rekka asks why he was there, and Rentaro tells them that he’s been planting traps around the hideout all this time to even his odds, revealing that he also wanted to save Akane. He then asks Iroha why she came with Rekka, but Iroha strongly affirms her conviction of saving Akane as her friend. Rentaro suddenly teases her for embracing her inner-kunoichi once again, but Iroha elbows him, saying not to push it. That night, the three of them ready to storm the Niji no Hebi's base of operations. Fan Casting * Rentaro Kagura: Hideya Tawada * Isamichi Konjo: Takuma Zaiki * Rekka Ayano: Kazusa Okuyama * Iroha Kagura: Asuka Hanamura * Johnny Yoo: Chansung * Ayame Suzumiya: Kana Oya * Akane Egusa: Fujiko Kojima * Akira Hayase: Yukihiro Takiguchi * Master Gamano: Nobuo Kyō * Nobushige Konjo: Kenichi Endo * Mina: Reiko Fujiwara * Tsunayoshi: Ataro Dojun * Yaminin: Masashi Ebara * Oba: Sho Tanaka Guest Cast * Konjo Group Employee: Yui Koike (cameo) Suit Actors * Kamen Rider Shinobi: Yuji Nakata * Kamen Rider Bakugo: Yuya Nawata Notes from Writer * This episode is technically the first of a two-part series, alongside ''Ninth Nin - Shinobi Rescue Mission! ''This is because the two episodes were originally written as one long episode. However, fleshing out the characters and plot elements allowed for this to be expanded into two episodes.